Dry shaver



April 8, 1952 R. M. HvlD DRY sHAvER Filed Aug. 22, 1947 ||l|||lii..

Patented Apr. 8, 1952 DRY sHAvEa .l

Rasmus M. Hvid, Wilmette, Ill., assignor to Veed Corp., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application August 22, 1947, Serial No. 770,122

9 Claims.

This invention relates to dry shavers or shavl ing devices, more particularly to dry shavers of the type in which the shaving operation is carried out by a shearing action without recourse to `driving motors or similar sources of power, and

the invention has for an object the provision I improved'devices of this character.

Heretofore dry Shavers or razors of the'handoperated or powerless type have been provided with a thin cylindrical shield or guard having perforations or openings therethrough for receiving the hairs as the shield or guard is rolled across the skin, and cutters or blades disposed within the shield have been arranged for cooperation therewith to provide a shearing action. Such prior devices have not been entirely satisfactory, however, due to improper design and correlation of the shields and cutters, resulting in hair pulling and faulty cutting action; due to the difliculties involved in assembling and disassembling the devices for cleaning and replacement purposes; and due to high maintenance costs. Accordingly it is a further object of this invention to provide an improved dry shaver or shaving device of this type which is capable of effecting a satisfactory shaving operation even in the hands of an unskilled user, which is composed of a minimum number of readily removable parts that may be quickly and easily assembled and disassembled, which may be economically manufactured, and which will have a long useful life without the necessity of maintenance or repair.

In carrying out the invention in one form, a shaver is provided having a central core member, a hollow perforated cylinder mounted for free rotation around the core member for rolling engagement with the skin, a cylindrical cutter rotatably mounted on the core member within the hollow cylinder and having a plurality of longitudinally extending cutting teeth on the periphery thereof, and a lost motion connection between the cutter and the core member for limiting the relative rotation therebetween so that the cutter may rotate with the hollow cylin- 'der during a portion of each shaving stroke and will be held against rotation during the remainder nf each stroke toprovide a proper cutting action. Preferably the longitudinally extending teeth on the periphery of the cylindrical cutter are formed by providing spaced longitudinally extending grooves in the periphery of the cutter, the side walls of'the grooves being undercut so as to intersect the peripheral surface of the cylinder at an angle less than 90 degrees. thereby providing sharp cutting edges of less than degrees included angle. l

The shaver-is composed of three radially sepa.- rable parts, one of which comprises a cutter assembly including the ycore member and the cylindrical cutter, the second of which comprises the hollow perforated cylinder, and the third of which comprises a handle assembly including a handle member adapted to be telescoped over an extending end of the core member and secured thereto in non-rotatable relation by means ofan axial rotatable partfof the handle member. l

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference should now be had to the drawing, in which: l

Fig. l is an enlarged-longitudinal sectional'view of a shaving device embodying the present invention, certain parts thereof being shown in elevation; Y I

Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5 are transverse cross-sectional views, respectively taken along the lines 2 2, 3 3, 4 4, and 5 5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged developed View of a` Dortion of the perforated hollow cylinder illustrating the arrangement and interrelation of the perforations; and l Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the cutter member showing the Amanner in which the cutting teeth are formed thereon.

Referring now to the drawing, the invention is shown as embodied in a shaver I 0 having a center core member or shaft II which forms the main supporting element for the remaining parts of the shaver. Adjacent the left-hand end of the core member, as viewed in Fig. l, there is provided a somewhat enlarged splined portion I2 adapted to be pressed into a suitable aperture in an end cap I3 which is substantially hemispherical and provides a nished appearance at this end of thev shaver. As shown, the end cap I3 is provided adjacent its inner surface with an annular groove I4, the transverse wall of which provides a thrust bearing surface for a hollow perforatedcylinder I5 which forms the shield or guard and will be more fully described hereinafter.

Mounted on the core member II adjacent the end can I3is 'a cylindrical cutter member I Shaving a plurality of longitudinally extending cutting l teeth I'I formed in the periphery thereof, as will be more fully described hereinafter, the cutter I6 being supported at its opposite endsby bearings' I8 and I9 which have a press nt with the inner circumference of the cutter I6, and which have a free-running t with the center core memberv II; The cutter I6 and its supporting 3 bearings I8 and I3 may be secured in proper position on the core member I I by means of a spring Washer 20 which engages a groove 2| formed in the core member I| in proper spaced relation to theJ end cap I3 so that the washer 20 and the inner surface of the end cap I3 form thrust bearings for the cutter I6, suitable clearance being provided to permit end play ofthe cutter. As shown, the portion of the bearing I8 which extends outwardly beyond the cutter I6 is provided with a slot 22 adapted to receive a pin 23 which projects outwardly from the inner surface of the end cap I3 so as to provide a lost motion connection between the cutter I6 and the core II, whereby rotation of the cutter I6 on the core member II is limited to an angle of rotation determined by the width of the slot 22.

Also mounted on the core member I I is a handle 24 which is preferably formed of some suitable plastic molded material, the handle 24 being hollow throughout its length and being provided adjacent the left-hand end thereof with a suitable bushing 25 which is preferably provided with enlarged splined portions 26 adapted, when the bushing is forced into the hollow handle, to cut grooves in the plastic material whereby the bushing is rigidly fixed in the handle against ready removal therefrom in an axial direction. Adjacent its left-hand end, as viewed in Fig. 1, the handley 24 is provided withra head member 2'I, a suitable enlarged portion 28 of the bushing 25 being arranged to hold the head member 21 securely on the handle 24 when the bushing is assembled in the handle. As shown, the head member is provided with an annular groove 26 in one face thereof, which groove forms a suitable thrust bearing for the hollow perforated cylinder I after the handle has been assembled on the core member II.

The core member Il, as shown in Fig. 1, extends into the handle 24 beyond the bushing 25, and the extending end portion thereof is iiattened on opposite sides, the flattened portions being indicated by reference numeral 38, and the extreme end of the core member I I is provided with suitable threads 3| for a purpose to be more fully explained hereinafter. As shown best in Fig. 5, the right-hand end of the bushing 25 is provided with a flat-sided aperture 32 so that telescopic assembly of the handle 24 on the core member II will, through engagement of the flat sides of the aperture 32 with the flattened surfaces 30 of the core member II, retain the handle and core member in non-rotatable relation with respect to each other.

At its extreme right-hand end the handle 24 is provided with a suitable tip or cap 33 which is likewise preferably formed of a suitable molded plastic, and which, as will be hereinafter described, is secured to the handle 24 in axially fixed, rotatable relation thereto. As shown, the right-hand end of the handle 24 is provided with a suitably shaped notch or groove 34 for receiving the ring-shaped portion 35 of a suitable clip 36, which is arranged so that its free end resiliently engages the outer surface of the handle 24 wherebyj the shaver IE)V may be carried in a pocket of the user in the same manner as conventional fountain pens or pencils. The clip 35 is permanently secured to the handle 24 by means of a ring 38 which is provided with a recess 39, as shown, to receive the head of a threaded lock member 40, the head portion of the member 40 having a suitable notch 4| therein for receiving a tool by means of which the lock member 40 may be threaded into and tightened in the end of the handle 24. It will, of course, be apparent that the ring 38, the peripheral surface of which may be suitably engraved with the owners name or initials, may be omitted if desired, and the lock member 40 arranged to engage directly the ring portion 35 of the clip 36, in which case the end member 33 will be suitably shaped to permit nesting of the head of the lock member 40 within the open end thereof.

In order to mount the cap 33 on the handle 24 in axially fixed rotatable relation, a lockpin 42 is provided having a center portion of a diameter such as to extend through and provide a running fit within the lock member 40. At its inner end the lockpin 42 is provided with an enlarged portion 43 so as to define a shoulder 44 adapted to engage the inner end of the lock member 40. This enlarged portion 43 of the lockpin 42 is tapped to provide threads 45 adapted to engage the threads 3| on the end of the core member II. The lockpin 42, as shown, extends outwardly beyond vthe member 40, and is provided with a collar 46 having a splined portion 41 adapted to be forced into the axial aperture 48 in. the cap 33 so as to secure the cap 33 on the collar 46. As shown, the collar 46 and the extending end of lockpin 42 are drilled to receive a transverse pin 49 which serves to secure the collar 46 on the lockpin in non-rotatable, fixed, axial relation.

In assembly of the cap 33 on the handle 24, the lock member 4|), the loekpin 42, the clip 36 and the ring 38 are first assembled and the assembly is inserted into the open right-hand end of the handle whereupon the lock member 40 is threaded into place and tightened in the handle 24. The collar 46 may then be positioned on the extendingend of the lockpin 42, and the pin 49 inserted through the transverse apertures to lock the collar in place, whereupon the end cap 33 may be forced over the collar 46 in the position shown, thus completing the assembly operation.

It will now be apparent that the shaver ID consists of three principal parts, the rst of which is a cutter assembly that includes the core member the cutter I6 and its bearings, the end cap I3, the pin 23 and spring washer 2|, all of which are permanently assembled together in the relation shown; the second of which constitutes the hollow perforated cylinder I5, and the third of Whichis a handle assembly that includes the handle 24, the bushing 25, the lockpin 42 which is rotatably supported in the lock member 40 that supports the clip 36 and the ring 38, and the end cap 33 with the bushing 46 and the pin 49 carried by the lockpin.

In order to assemble the shaver, it is necessary only to slip the cylinder I5 over the core member and the cutter from the right-hand end, as viewed in Fig. l, and then to place the handle assembly on the extending end of the core member II so that the attened portion of the core member extends through the aperture 32 in the bushing 25 and the threaded end of the core member engages the threads 45 in the lockpin 42. Engagement Vof the flattened portion of the core member with the bushing 25 restrains the handle 24 and the core member against relative rotation, and when the cap member 33 is thereupon rotated, the handle assembly and the cutter assembly will be drawn together until the enlarged collar 28 on the bushing 25 engages the washer 20 at the right-hand end of the cutter. When the cap member 33 has been rotatedsufiiciently to bring these parts 'into firm 'O the Slot 22.

engagement, the head member 2T will be so positioned that the groove 29 therein which forms a thrust bearing for the perforated cylinder I5, will be spaced from the corresponding thrust "bearingv in the end cap I3 a distance greater than the length of the cylinder I5 so as to provide a free-running t land some end play. For proper cooperation of the perforated cylinder I5 and the cutter I6, the grooves I4 and 29 in the members I3 and 21, respectively,are of sufficient depth to provide peripheral surfaces of smaller diameter than the diameter of the cutter I6 so that the perforated cylinder I5 is supported for rotation solely on the cutter I6.

The perforated cylinder I5 may be formed of rustless steel approximately .0025 to .003 of an inch in wall thickness, and provided with a large number of small, closely spaced perforations 50 (Fig. 6) arranged in staggered rows, as shown.

As shown best in Fig. 7, the cutting teeth II on the cutter I6 are formed by providing on the periphery of the cutter a plurality of longitudinally extending spaced-apart grooves 5I the side walls 52 of which are undercut, as shown, so as to intersect the surfaces of the cylindrical cutter at an angle substantially less than 90 degrees. Thus, as indicated in Fig. 7, the plane of each side Wall 52, as represented by the dot-and-dash line 53, extends at an angle of l5 degrees to a radially extending line identified in Fig. '7 by the reference numeral 54. Therefore, the angle a, as identified in Fig. '7, is, at the periphery of the cutter I6, in the neighborhood of 75 degrees. Consequently sharp cutting edges are provided, and the engagement of the outer surfaces of the teeth II with the inner periphery of the perforated cylinder I5 during operation of the shaver provides a honing effect on the teeth I'I and self-sharpening action is thus obtained. The grooves 5I in the teeth I1 extend throughout the length of the cutter I6, and while any desired numberof teeth may be provided, it has been found that a satisfactory cutter is obtained with 20 teeth evenly spaced about the periphery of the cutter. While the longitudinally extending teeth II have been shown as being rectilinear, it will be-understood that the cutter may be providedwith longitudinally extending teeth having a helical pitch of any desired angularity.

With the shaver II) assembled as shown in Fig. 1, the shaving operation may be quickly and satisfactorily carried out inerely by grasping the handle 3B in` one hand and moving the shaver across the skin so that the perforated cylinder I5 engages the skin and has imparted thereto a rolling movement. The shaving operation is accomplished by aseries of back-and-forth become xed relative to the core member II, and the subsequent relative rotation between the perforated cylinder I5 and the cutter I6 will serve to shear-off the hairs which project through the apertures 50 in the cylinder I5. When at the end of the desired stroke in the direction of the arrow 55 a reverse stroke is started, the cylinder I5 and the cutter IB'will rotate together in the opposite'direction until the pin 23 has moved across the slot 22 so as to engage the right-handwall thereof, whereupon the cutter I6 will again become xed on the core member II. Thus it will be seen that during the initial portion of each stroke, the cutter is free to rotate with the cylinder I5, and the shearing action does not commence until a suiiicient velocity of movement has been attained to assurea proper shearing action.

When it is desired to clean the shaver after completion of the shaving operation, it is neces- Vsary only to rotate the end cap 33 relative to'the handle 24 until the threaded end 3l of the core member and the threads 45 in the lockpin 42 strokes of the shaver, and the lost motion connection between the cutter I6 and the core II, provided by the slot 22 and the pin 23, is effective to prevent hair pulling or improper shearing at the initiation of each shaving stroke. Assuming that the pin 23 occupies a central position in the slot 22, as viewed in Fig. 2, and that the shaver is then moved across the skin in the direction indicated by the arrow 55, with the skin engaging the lower surface of the cylinder I5, the cylinder will be caused to rotate in a clockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow 56, and Aduring initial movementin this direction the cutter I5 will move with the cylinder I5 until the pin 23 engages the left-hand wall Upon engagement of the pin 23 with this wall of the slot 22, the cutter will become disengaged, whereupon the handle assembly and the perforated cylinder I5 may be readily slid off of the core member I! and the cutter I6, respectively. Thus the interior of `the cylinder I5 and the cutting teeth of the cutter I6 are made available for the removalof accumulative hair clippings, and re-assembly after cleaning may be accomplished merely by telescoping the cylinder I5 over the cutter I6 and by then telescoping the handle 24 over the extending end of the core member II until the cooperating threads 3i and 45 are brought into engagement, the assembly operation then being completed by proper rotation of the end cap 33.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be understood, of course, that do not wish to be limited thereto since `many modifications may be made, and I therefore `contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within Athe true spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention,lwhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A shaver comprising a core member, a hollow perforated cylinder mounted for free rotation about said core member for rolling engagement with the skin as said shaver is moved through alternate oppositely directed shaving strokes, a cutter rotatably mounted on said core member within said hollow cylinder and having a plurality of longitudinally extending cutting edges spaced about the periphery thereof and adapted to engage the inner surface of said perforated cylinder, and means on said cutter and said core member providing a lost motion -connection for limiting to a predeterminedA angle the relative rotation therebetween whereby said cutter is frictionally driven by and rotates with said hollow cylinder during an initial portion of each shaving stroke following a reversal of the direcltion of travel andis held against rotation during the remainder of each stroke.

2. A shaver comprising Ia core member, a hollow perforated cylinder mounted for free rotation about said core member for rolling engagement with the skin as said shaver -is moved through alternate oppositely directed shaving strokes, a rcylindrical cutter rotatably mounted on said core member within said hollow cylinder and having a plurality of longitudinallyextending cutting teeth on the periphery thereof, vsaid cutting teeth being defined by spaced longitudinally extending grooves in said cutter the side Walls of which are undercut to intersect the peripheral surface of the cutter at an angle less than 90, and means on said cutter and said core member providing a lost motion connection for limiting to a predetermined angle the relative rotation therebetween whereby said cutter rotates with said hollow cylinder during an initial portion of each shaving strokeI following a reversal of the direction of travel and is held against rotation during the remainder of each stroke.

3. A shaver comprising a core member, a hollow perforated cylinder mounted for free rotation about said core member for rolling engagement with the skin as said shaver is moved through alternate oppositely directed shaving strokes, a cutter rotatably mounted on said core member within said hollow cylinder and having a plurality of longitudinally extending cutting v edges spaced about the periphery thereof and adapted to engage the inner surface of said perforated cylinder, a handle mounted on said core member in axial alignment with said cutter and said cylinder, and pin and slot means on said cutter and said core member for providing a lost motion connection for limiting to a predetermined angle the relative rotation therebetween whereby said cutter is frictionally driven by and rotates with said hollow cylinder during an initial portion of each shaving stroke following a reversal of the direction of travel and is held -against rotation relative to said handle and core member during the remainder of each stroke.

4. A shaver comprising a core member, a substantially cylindrical cutter mounted on said core member adjacent one end thereof, a hollow openended perforated cylinder mounted for free rotation on said cutter as said shaver is moved through alternate oppositely directed shaving strokes with said cylinder engaging the skin of the user, said core member having an enlargement xedly secured to said one end thereof formed to provide a thrust bearing for said perforated cylinder, a cylindrical handle mounted on and removably secured to said core member, stop means on said handle and core member for accurately llongitudinally positioning said handle on `said core member, and means on said handle formed to provide a second thrust bearing for said hollow cylinder, said thrust bearings being spaced to provide for end play of said hollow cylinder during rolling engagement thereof with the skin, and a lost motion connection between said cutter and said core member for limiting to a predetermined angle the relative rotation therebetween whereby said cutter rotates with said hollow cylinder during an initial portion of each shaving stroke following a reversal of the direction of travel and is held against rotation relative to said core member and said handle during the remaining portions of each stroke.

5. A shaver comprising a core member, a cutter rotatably mounted on said core member adjacent one end thereof, a hollow perforated cylinder mounted for free rotation on said cutter,

said core member having an enlargement 'lxedly secured to said one end thereof formed to provide a thrustbearing for said perforated cylinder, a cylindrical handle mounted on and removably secured to said core member, means on said handle formed to provide a second thrust bearing for said hollow cylinder, and a lost motion connection between said cutter and said core memberfor limiting to a predetermined angle the relative rotation therebetween whereby said cutter rotates with said hollow cylinder during an initial portion of each shaving stroke following a reversal of the direction of travel and is held against rotation relative to said core member and said handle during the remaining portions of each stroke, as said shaver is moved through alternate oppositely directed shaving strokes with said cylinder engaging the skin of the user.

6. A shaver comprising a core member. a hollow perforated cylinder mounted for free rotation about the axis of said core member for rolling engagement with the skin, a cutter mounted on said core member within said perforated cylinder, a handle, bushing means within said handle for receiving said core member in axially slidable but non-rotatable relation. means on said said core member and said handle respectively forming thrust bearings for engaging the opposite ends of said perforated cylinder, and means carried by said handle and engageable with said core member for securing said handle to said core member in axially xed relation and for releasing said core member from said handle to permit axial disassembly of said cutter, cylinder and handle.

'7. A shaver comprising a core member, a hollow perforated cylinder mounted for free rotation about the axis of said core member for rolling engagement with the skin, a cutter mounted on said core member within said perforated cylinder, means xedly secured to said core member adjacent one end of said cutter forming a thrust bearing for one end of said perforated cylinder, a hollow cylindrical handle, bushing means within said handle for receiving said core member in axially slidable but non-rotatable relation, means on said handle forming a thrust bearing for the opposite end of said perforated cylinder, and means carried by said handle threadedly engaging said core member for effecting axial movement therebetween to assemble said shaver with Said perforated cylinder disposed between said thrust bearings and to release said core member from said handle to permit axial disassembly of said cutter, cylinder and handle.

8. A shaver comprising a core member, a hollow perforated cylinder mounted for free rotation about the axis of said core member for rolling engagement with the skin, a cutter mounted on said core member within said perforated cylinder, means fixedly secured to said core member adjacent one end of said cutter forming a thrust bearing for one end of said perforated cylinder, a hollow cylindrical handle, bushing means within said handle for receiving said Core member in axially slidable but non-rotatable relation, means on said handle forming a thrust bearing for the opposite end of said perforated cylinder, an end cap secured to the end of said handle opposite from said thrust bearing in axially fixed but rotatable relation, and means carried by said end cap and extending into said handle for threadedly engaging said core member, whereby rotation of said end cap relative to said handle causes relative axial movement of said handle and said core member to effect as sembly and disassembly of said shaver.

9. A shaver comprising a cutter assembly including a core member, a cutter mounted on said core member, and a thrust bearing on said core member adjacent one end of said cutter; a hollow perforated cylinder adapted to be telescoped over 9 said cutter into engagement with said thrust bearing; and a handle assembly including a hollow handle for telescopically receiving said core member, a thrust bearing on said handle for engaging the end of said perforated cylinder opposite from said thrust bearing of said cutter assembly, and a rotatable member carried by said handle for threadedly engaging said core member Within said handle for eiecting relative axial movement of said handle assembly and said cutter assembly selectively to conne said perforated cylinder between said thrust bearings and to separate said assemblies for removal of said cylinder.

RASMUS M. HVID.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,928,886 Garretson Oct. 3, 1933 2,060,520 Muros Nov. 10, 1936 2,296,095 Dalkowitz Sept. 15, 1942 2,327,284 Nyhagen Aug. 17, 1943 2,335,288 Lundqust Nov. 30, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 880,947 France Jan. 11, 1943 

